Yona of the Dawn is a currently running shojo manga written and illustrated by Mizuho Kusanagi that is serialized in the Japanese manga magazine Hana to Yume, and has been collected into 38 volumes in its home country. Here in the states, we currently have 36 volumes licensed in English by Viz Media at the time of this review, and with more volumes planned in the coming months stateside, as well as a 24 episode anime and multiple OVA episodes to its name, Yona of the Dawn has established itself as a tour de force in the world of shoujo manga that is beloved worldwide.
Yona of the Dawn takes the best of action, romance, magic and political intrigue, combined with breathtaking art to weave together a modern day shoujo classic. The story starts with Princess Yona and her father, King Il, who are royalty in their kingdom, called the Kouka kingdom. A tragedy in the form of a political coup forces Yona out of her life of royalty and luxury and into a position to where she is no longer welcome in her own kingdom. She is followed by her personal bodyguard, Son Hak, as are exiled and forced to live as vagabonds in the hopes to one day reclaim their rightful positions in their kingdom. The pair eventually come to hear of a legend of a Crimson Dragon King and his four warriors that had previously unified their land. In hopes of this legend being real, Yona and Son Hak set out to find these four Dragon warriors in hopes that they can help them not only retake their place in the Kouka kingdom and save it, but also bring unity to the tribes that share the continent with them and bring peace to the nation.
One thing that really elevates a manga series in my eyes is character development, seeing them grow as people, and the interactions they have with other characters that provide depth and strengthen the overall narrative. Yona of the Dawn checks all these boxes and executes these ideas in a fashion that makes you attached to the main cast of characters on an emotional level. Seeing Yona go from this sheltered, rich princess to someone who wants to fight her own battles and earn her spot in her party makes for some wonderful development, as well as for some truly riveting moments in the story. All of the main cast have things about them that make you want to keep reading about them; the romantic tension in the relationship between Son Hak and Yona, and the personalities of the dragon warriors and their own personal struggles make the manga impossible to put down.
Yona of the Dawn has appeal to readers outside the target shoujo demographic as well, and is a story anyone who enjoys action, high fantasy and political intrigue will find easy to fall in love with. The politics between the different tribes and kingdoms in the story is thick and extremely interesting to watch unfold. The world building behind all of these nations and tribes, their culture, their architecture, how they operate, and how they interact with each other are all written in top class fashion. Also, the mythos of the series and its universe is a treat to watch reveal itself with each new volume that releases. The world of Yona of the Dawn is filled with lore that takes inspiration from both Eastern and Western mythology, and makes it its very own, truly unique world.
Looking at the art side of things, Yona of the Dawn’s illustrations are beautiful, and really capture that atmosphere of the story. Yona and her adventuring party find themselves in a variety of locations on their quest; a seaside town, a cave, forests, mountains, castles and battlefields, with each of these backgrounds being handled with not only technical prowess as far as visual appeal, but have their own special charm in both art and setting that makes each location unforgettable. Also, the character design is filled with life, detail and charm, with each character design being memorable and having a fitting design for their personality type.
The delightful art of the series, combined with the charm and mythos of the world, the epic fantasy setting and the memorable characters make the perfect recipe as to why Yona of the Dawn is such an enchanting read. With the latest story saga really heating up and the series continuing to be a resounding success, Yona of the Dawn shows no signs of fatigue. There is no better time to jump into the story and experience this modern day classic.
